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| a world of tape measures |
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Neil Walker
Member #210
April 2000
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Hello, In UK we use metric and imperial and all my tape measures and rulers have inches and centimetres. What do they have in America and Europe? I'm guessing Europe has both to cater for exports to America and America has both to cater for modern thinking people? I was trying to think what useful information could be used for the 'other half' of a tape measure/ruler other than a mirror image Neil. wii:0356-1384-6687-2022, kart:3308-4806-6002. XBOX:chucklepie |
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Arthur Kalliokoski
Second in Command
February 2005
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Most US tape measures have feet/inches on one edge and metric on the other. The only people I see using tape measures regularly are carpenters. Old joke: Hillbilly enters lumberyard Hillbilly: "We're gonna need some four by twos!" They all watch too much MSNBC... they get ideas. |
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Trent Gamblin
Member #261
April 2000
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In Canada we generally use the metric system, but carpentry/construction workers still use imperial measurements.
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Matthew Leverton
Supreme Loser
January 1999
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Every tape measure designed for construction* I've seen looks something like: {"name":"124766d1261391644-tape-measure-question-100_6746.jpg","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/e\/b\/eb9338f555e301feeee4825558964315.jpg","w":800,"h":533,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/e\/b\/eb9338f555e301feeee4825558964315"} Ones meant for taking body measurements usually only have feet and inches marked. {"name":"istockphoto_5193846-tape-measure.jpg","src":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/5\/2\/52a260b21038aeeaa79fb01e388c3a5f.jpg","w":380,"h":253,"tn":"\/\/djungxnpq2nug.cloudfront.net\/image\/cache\/5\/2\/52a260b21038aeeaa79fb01e388c3a5f"} * But I should add that nobody here cares about metric measurements, so I'm sure many models sold only in USA markets simply have inches marked on both edges. |
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BAF
Member #2,981
December 2002
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Any tape measures I've seen only have inches. |
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Matthew Leverton
Supreme Loser
January 1999
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BAF said: Any tape measures I've seen only have inches. Actually, most tape measures I've seen only have feet and inches as well. I still have images of yardsticks and rulers seared into my brain from grade school, which is what I was originally thinking of. Those always had ticks for the metric system on the bottom half. I remember thinking that millimeters are so small only a silly person would use them. I still think that. |
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Arthur Kalliokoski
Second in Command
February 2005
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My earliest memories of rulers only had inches on one side, along with a metal strip embedded in the wood for a straightedge. The other edge was blank. When they taught us about the metric system, there was a handy tear-off protractor/ruler with millimeters glued inside one of the covers of the book. They all watch too much MSNBC... they get ideas. |
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Ben Delacob
Member #6,141
August 2005
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I'm in the USA. The measure nearest me had inches only. The top side had 1/16 divisions and the bottom 1/32. This is mildly useful as the markings are getting busy at 1/32. Still, it seems silly that centimeters weren't used as estimating 32nds from 16ths is dead easy. __________________________________ |
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Neil Walker
Member #210
April 2000
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Matthew Leverton said: Every tape measure designed for construction* I've seen looks something like
[edit]Google was my friend (http://www.asktooltalk.com/questions/faq/tools/tape_measures/black_diamonds.php) must be an american thing. Neil. wii:0356-1384-6687-2022, kart:3308-4806-6002. XBOX:chucklepie |
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Ron Novy
Member #6,982
March 2006
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Chris Katko
Member #1,881
January 2002
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 -----sig: |
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jhuuskon
Member #302
April 2000
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Answer to the original question, in the civilised world tape measures have only centimeters, usually full tens accented in red. Some manufacturers mark full metres in metres (e.g. "2m" instead of "200"). You don't deserve my sig. |
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Tobias Dammers
Member #2,604
August 2002
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Matthew Leverton said: I remember thinking that millimeters are so small only a silly person would use them. That's why most people use centimeters instead, even though meters and millimeters only would make more sense, SI-wise. --- |
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Arthur Kalliokoski
Second in Command
February 2005
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Auto mechanics use millimeters quite often, wrenches especially. Even if it's 32mm. They all watch too much MSNBC... they get ideas. |
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Thomas Fjellstrom
Member #476
June 2000
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Probably because everything is manufactured in countries that switched to metric decades ago. -- |
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Arthur Kalliokoski
Second in Command
February 2005
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I meant as opposed to cm. They all watch too much MSNBC... they get ideas. |
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Slartibartfast
Member #8,789
June 2007
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I think carpenters use mm as well. (At least here, there are as many places that advertise a 93cm wide desk as there are that advertise a 560mm wide desk.) ---- |
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type568
Member #8,381
March 2007
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I wonder how do the Americans measure their 5.56mm..
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Arthur Kalliokoski
Second in Command
February 2005
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type568 said: I wonder how do the Americans measure their 5.56mm.. It's 1.53670563907e-07 furlongs, of course! They all watch too much MSNBC... they get ideas. |
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type568
Member #8,381
March 2007
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wiki said: A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and U.S. customary units. It is equal to one-eighth of an international mile, to 220 yards, and to 660 feet. Since furlongs are not used for precision measurements, there is no need to consider other slightly different conversions. Aw-wow.. Are you sure?
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Slartibartfast
Member #8,789
June 2007
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type568
Member #8,381
March 2007
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Oh, e-07..
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Matthew Leverton
Supreme Loser
January 1999
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Tobias Dammers said: That's why most people use centimeters instead, even though meters and millimeters only would make more sense, SI-wise. A meter is equally as silly. The numbers are so odd. A yard stick is 0.91 meters. How arbitrary is that? It is 1.0 yard, which makes much more sense. |
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Thomas Fjellstrom
Member #476
June 2000
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Nah, a yard stick is silly, its 0.9144 meters. Why would I want a 0.9144 meter long measuring stick when I can just get a meter stick? -- |
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Arthur Kalliokoski
Second in Command
February 2005
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If we'd just get a taller king to define the yard, it'd match the meter. They all watch too much MSNBC... they get ideas. |
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